Destination Experiences General Information
PLEASE READ THIS GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE BOOKING A DESTINATION EXPERIENCE
Destination Experiences for Ambassador Cruise Line are operated by third-party, independent, local service providers. As such, Ambassador Cruise Line cannot guarantee the performance or quality of the experiences offered, nor under any circumstances will they be held responsible for any loss, damage, injury, accident, delay, inconvenience or irregularity caused by any act of the service providers or their sub-contractors, employees or agents. Ambassador Cruise Line exercise reasonable skill and care by selecting service providers who have appropriate insurance cover to offer such services, and who agree to adhere to their own safety management systems and with all local, national and/or international standards and legislation. Any purchase(s) made ashore during an experience is/are solely between the guest and the vendor.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is essential that before booking any Destination Experiences, you ensure that your travel insurance extends to cover the specified activity you will be participating in. This may necessitate an additional premium.
PRE-REGISTRATION
You can pre-register your experiences online via ‘My Ambassador Sailing’. It is strongly recommended that you use the pre-registration service as the experiences may have limited capacity and all are subject to availability. Please note, experiences can only be pre-registered online. Should any amendments be made to your selection after initial pre-registration, an updated experience planner will be emailed to you. Pre-registration closes 72-hours before you sail. After this, amendments can only be made on board. Destination Experience Tickets will be delivered to your cabin.
HOW TO BOOK ON BOARD
You will be able to book experiences on board via the Ambassador App, the kiosks in the Destination Experiences area, or directly with the Destination Experiences Team during advertised opening hours.
PAYMENT
Destination Experiences are automatically debited to your shipboard account, payable at the end of your voyage, or at regular intervals during longer voyages. If you choose to cancel your sailing, certain pre-registered experiences may incur a cancellation fee. Where this is applicable, experiences will reference it in the description.
EXPERIENCE PRICES
Destination Experience prices include transport, guides, meals and entrance fees according to the published description. Prices are subject to change without notice. On board prices may be higher than pre-sailing prices. Once you have confirmed your pre-registered experience, the price will not change. If an experience is cancelled at any time and you choose to book an alternative, the advertised price of the new experience at the time of booking will apply. Child prices apply to children aged between 3 and 12 inclusively. Children aged 13 years and above will require adult tickets. Infants under the age of 3 can travel on the experience free of charge, as long as they do not occupy a seat and it is not a flight or overnight experience. You should make a booking for all experiences you intend to take an infant on. Please note that all minors (under 18 years) must be accompanied by an adult on experiences.
CANCELLATIONS
Pre-registered experiences: Unless specified otherwise in the description notes for individual experiences, cancellations of pre-registered experiences can be made via ‘My Ambassador Sailing’ up until 72-hours before you sail. After this, all pre-registered experiences will be treated as confirmed (see below for confirmed bookings).
Cancellation fees are applicable for pre-registered experiences which involve upfront costs such as ticketed events, meals, flights or overnight accommodation. These fees can be applicable prior to the 72 hours and details of the agreements can be found in the individual description notes (provided to you prior to booking). To cancel these experiences an email must be sent to destinationexperiences@ambassadorcruiseline.com and the appropriate cancellation charge will be confirmed to you.
Confirmed bookings: Cancellations to confirmed bookings can only be made in person with one of the Destination Experiences Team on board during advertised opening hours. Unless specified otherwise in the description notes for individual experiences (provided to you prior to booking), cancellations of any experience can be made up to 48-hours before arrival in the port without penalty. Cancellation of any experience within 48-hours arrival in the port of call is subject to 100% cancellation fee.
Please ensure you have read and understood the description notes and any applicable cancellation terms that may apply to your experience prior to booking.
In the event of an experience being cancelled by us for reasons beyond our control, a full refund will be credited to your shipboard account.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
All experiences are subject to a minimum number of guests participating which varies depending on the particular experience. If this minimum is not achieved the experience will be cancelled and the Destination Experiences Team will advise guests.
EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS & IMAGES
The Destination Experiences descriptions and imagery are representative of the experience plans at the time of booking. Subsequent events, beyond the control of the service provider or Ambassador Cruise Line, may result in an unavoidable change to the published itineraries and/or prices. Wherever possible, you will be advised in advance of any known significant alterations, however, experience itineraries may have to be amended with little or no notice and therefore all descriptions must be considered as subject to alteration. The listed attractions may be viewed in a different order to that described.
EXPERIENCE TIMINGS
Durations and departure times are approximate and the final experience departure times will be confirmed on board. Following the ship’s arrival in a port of call the relevant local authorities must complete various formalities to clear the vessel and give permission for you to proceed ashore. The time this procedure can take varies from port to port and may cause delays with experience departures. The meeting time and place for the departure of your experience will be advised onboard. Members of staff will direct you. Your destination experience ticket will be collected before departure. When choosing multiple experiences in a port, it is recommended that you leave at least one-hour between an experience returning and another departing.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE
The organised, optional Destination Experiences are designed to be pleasurable and an enhancement of your sailing. Therefore, it is recommended, before you book, that you consider the physical requirements of that particular experience, such as the amount of walking, the terrain or number of steps involved and whether you will be able to keep pace with the guide, to ensure that it is the right choice for you and will not impact on the enjoyment of the experience by fellow guests. Please be aware that some archaeological sites, palaces, temples, museums and old city quarters can only be reached by walking on uneven paths or via lots of steps, which could prove to be very difficult for those with limited mobility. Although some experiences may involve minimal walking, it may be necessary to walk some distance to reach your mode of transport. Should you have any questions regarding the suitability of an experience for your individual needs, please contact destinationexperiences@ambassadorcruiseline.com. Once onboard, the Destination Experiences Team will be pleased to assist you with any further information that you may require about individual experiences.
MOBILITY
Generally, full sized coaches can accommodate a limited number of small, lightweight, collapsible manual wheelchairs or scooters. Owing to local regulations, it may not be permitted for drivers to assist with loading these onto vehicles so anyone wishing to take these items should be willing and able to load them themselves. Guests storing items in luggage holds do so at their own risk. Smaller vehicles may not be able to accommodate such items. If in doubt, please contact destinationexperiences@ambassadorcruiseline.com or the Destination Experiences Team onboard for further clarification.
For guests unable to board a standard experience vehicle, dependent on local infrastructure and vehicle availability, we can investigate the possibility of bespoke experiences using accessible or private vehicles on an individual request basis. These experiences would be considered as a ‘private arrangement’ therefore please refer to the paragraph on private arrangements.
Regarding disembarking/embarking at ports of call, guests should refer to the ‘Mobility and Special Assistances’ section of the
‘Before you Sail - General Information’ on our website.
PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS
Private arrangements generally attract a higher selling price than participating in a Destination Experience, owing to the smaller group size and more personalised service. If you wish to book a private driver and/or guide for a small group, please email destinationexperiences@ambassadorcruiseline.com prior to sailing, or speak to one of the Destination Experiences Team on board no later than 72 hours before arrival into the port. Once confirmed, private arrangements usually cannot be cancelled without incurring cancellation fees.
TRANSPORT
Depending on the part of the world that you are visiting, the standard of transportation used for experiences may vary considerably. Please bear in mind that coaches may not be air-conditioned and accessibility may be challenging for some guests. In some destinations, particularly in more remote countries and locations, local buses, school buses, taxis, minibuses, 4x4s and even open trucks may be used where coach availability is limited or non-existent. The notes in the experience description should indicate if this is known in advance, but the Destination Experiences Team on board will be able to provide additional information. Some experiences may include transportation that may not be exclusive to Ambassador Cruise Line guests.
WHILST ASHORE
Experiences will operate in all weathers unless the Destination Experiences Manager is advised by the service provider that it is inappropriate or unsafe to do so. In general, it is recommended that you wear appropriate clothing and, if necessary, weatherproof coats or jackets. Footwear should be sturdy, flat and comfortable as some walking will be necessary to gain full enjoyment from the experience programme. When you visit churches and other religious sites, please bear in mind that conservative dress will be required, covering shoulders and knees as a minimum. Visits to some religious buildings requires the removal of footwear.
Please always take your ‘My Ambassador Card’ with you and it is also prudent to have a photocopy of your passport unless advised to carry the original. Leave on board jewellery, valuables and other personal documents, and take only as much cash as you need for the experience. You may find it beneficial to take with you a bottle of water, suntan lotion and insect repellent.
If a guest arrives late to a designated meeting point either before departure, or during an experience, the service provider reserves the right to continue with the itinerary and it will become the guest’s responsibility to fund their own return to the ship. Guests will not be entitled to any refund, either full or part, for any portion of the experience missed.
ACTIVITY & WATER-BASED EXPERIENCES
You and all those in your party should be aware that some of the experiences offered may involve some degree of physical exertion and/or activity such as, but not limited to, hiking, snorkelling, snowmobiling, swimming, kayaking etc. When booking this type of experience, you are confirming that you and all those in your party are in good physical and mental condition and for example only, have no history of conditions such as seizures, heart conditions, respiratory problems, back/neck problems, dizziness or fainting. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit and well enough to take part in the activities booked and you are reminded to always take care for your safety. There is a possibility you may be asked by the service provider to sign a document which may limit the experience provider’s liability. It is important that your holiday insurance covers you for the type of activity you are participating in. For any experience which involves water you are advised to exercise care. Alcohol and eating a full meal should be avoided before swimming/water activities. If buoyancy aids or safety equipment are provided, they must be worn. Please bear in mind that the sea and swells can be unpredictable, and lifeguards are unlikely to be present at all beaches/venues visited. All activity and water-based activities are undertaken at your own risk.
EXPERIENCE ESCORTS
In addition to a local guide, occasionally a ship’s escort will accompany experiences. It is unlikely that every coach or group will have its own escort from the ship. These staff members fulfil the experience duties voluntarily and can only participate if the timings fit in with their own work schedules or emergency drills.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Prior to any photography in churches, museums or palaces etc. please check with the guide that there is no restriction on photography or video filming in that location. In some ports of call special camera and video permits may need to be purchased in advance. Full information will be available on board during the relevant sailings.
TIPPING
Although not compulsory, if pleased with your experience, it is customary to tip your guide and driver as a gesture of your appreciation for their service. The amount to tip is at your own discretion.
SMOKING
For the comfort of all guests, smoking (including the use of e-cigarettes) is not permitted aboard the experience vehicles/vessels.
SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL
Our policy to continually review and improve how we operate to effect positive change and reduce our impact on the environment extends to our Destination Experiences. We work closely with our local service providers to, where possible, minimise our impact on the local environments and invite all guests to support us in our efforts by respecting the cultures, customs and environmental issues of the various destinations we visit. As a business we are also committed to upholding measures to safeguard against modern slavery in our organisation and supply chains. You can read more about our commitment to combat modern slavery on our website:
https://www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/information/modern-slavery/
INDEPENDENT SHORE LEAVE
Once the vessel has been cleared by the local authorities, in some ports of call it may be necessary for Destination Experience participants on early departures to disembark the vessel ahead of guests wishing to proceed ashore independently. Independent shore leave will be granted providing it is not forbidden due to visa requirements and it is not a scheduled technical call where the ship has only a limited layover in port to perform a particular function such as to disembark or embark Destination Experience guests only. Independent shore leave is undertaken at your own risk. It is not possible to guarantee that there will be an adequate number of taxis available in each port of call. In some ports of call, if local regulations allow, an optional shuttle service may be provided for which a cover charge may apply. Full information on shuttle services for your voyage will be available once you are on board.
Please note that you are required to return on board according to the ‘All on board’ time. The ship cannot wait for guests who go ashore independently and return late. Organised Destination Experiences therefore offer one of the safest and best ways to explore each of the destinations.
